Deputy Toronto Mayor Pam McConnell is “gravely ill” in hospital, Mayor John Tory told the media on Thursday, adding that she is receiving “the very best care,” but not disclosing the nature of her illness.

“Pam McConnell is a person that I have grown to respect immensely in my time here,” Tory said. “I named her as a deputy mayor, I’m very fond of her and I’m very sad that she is gravely ill.”

The mayor also expressed support for McConnell on Twitter, acknowledging that while the outlook was “not very good” at the moment, “we know Pam is a fighter.”

McConnell has been a city councillor since 1994 and served as a school trustee for 12 years prior to that. She leads a number of initiatives related to poverty reduction, affordable housing and community revitalization, among other things.